The last week of summer closes out with lots of great reads on Photofocus this week.
This week, we kicked off October with a ton of great content to help you jump into fall! Julie Powell kicked off the week by finishing her two-part series on why you should use a tripod, while Vanelli talked to us about whether you should repair or replace your camera. Levi Sim discussed buying lighting equipment and using the tools you already have. Finally, Bryan Esler reviewed the MagMod MagBox for his food photography, while also giving us his top five favorite 5DayDeal education tools.
Why a great tripod can make a great image, part two - I recently wrote a post about why a great tripod can make a great image, and went a little in-depth into selecting a great tripod, but not the reasons for actually using one … so here we go. A steady shot means no camera shake Tripods are excellent for keeping your camera steady, especially in low light situations. A great tripod is perfect for getting your camera steady and completely eliminating camera shake without the need to have an incredibly high ISO. When combining a tripod and a wireless shutter trigger it is possible to have perfectly crisp images from your camera. However, if your tripod is not designed to hold the weight of your chosen camera and lens, it can let you down. Of course, tripods are great for long exposures where it just isn’t possible to hold the camera. But if you are anything like me out in the field, I tend to shake a little when I am cold, especially for early morning sunrises. Adding to this, I am not as steady as I would like, and I rarely shoot under 1/100s when I handhold my camera for that reason. I am sure I am not alone — even the slightest camera shake can take a great image down to a blurry mess. A straight horizon Another area I find that a great tripod helps is with keeping horizon a straight line. Using a tripod, especially one with a built-in level, is a great way to achieve a perfectly straight horizon line. When used with the camera’s built-in level (if you have one), it’s so easy to achieve. Keeping things consistent Another area that a tripod can help make a great image is with consistency. If you are shooting a panorama and wish to maintain a consistent horizon line, a great tripod can really help. Especially if you have one with a built-in or add on a slide. I find it’s not as easy as it should be to obtain the exact same level from one photo to the next if it is handheld. There are often slight movements you make with your hands and body when you change focal point or even adjusting settings. Even in the studio, when shooting still life or macro, I find I like the consistency I can obtain from a series of shots if the camera stays still and I move my subjects around in the frame. When it comes to light painting, I need the camera to stay in exactly the same position for consistency for editing. Any slight movement can ruin an image, or take extra time to edit. Saves your back and keeps you safe I find a great tripod can help save your back if, like me, you love a great flat lay still life shot. Standing on a stool or holding the camera above your head, is not only dangerous, but it can also be difficult to maintain a great shoot. Plus I always used to end up with a sore back, same goes for constantly bending down. Setting up a tripod with an adjustable arm can make easy work of a flat lay. Add tethering to a PC or tablet to this and you can remotely set up and shoot without the need to touch your camera, allowing you to move your subject around to fit within your required frame. Saves time and your back, plus makes things so much safer in the studio. Like an extra set of hands My last and favorite reason for using a tripod is it is like having an extra set of hands in the studio. By putting your camera on a tripod you get not only get consistency in your shot, but your camera is also safely locked onto your tripod. Additionally, by using a remote trigger you can set up your shot and focus and then without the need to touch your camera you can make those minute adjustments to items in the frame and take images easily and confidently. A cheap tripod can perhaps do some of these, but not all. Add to that your tripod needs to be sturdy and strong enough to suit your chosen camera and leans, and have the option to change heads, add additional gadgets; sliders for panorama or macro, or swivel and extendible arms and even work with L brackets … then doing some research on your next tripod is essential.
How to decide if you should repair or replace your camera - Your trusty camera of 10 years is no longer working. It pains you to get rid of it, especially considering the amount of money you paid for it. Here’s how to decide if you should repair or replace your beloved camera. How much did that camera really cost? This article was inspired by my friend Aaron Frisbee, who reached out to me on Facebook asking if I know what could be wrong with his autofocus. He listed the troubleshooting steps he performed — which were the exact steps I would have recommended. I fired off a quick reply: “Hey bud, It sounds like you have checked everything I would have. I hate to tell you … it’s 10 years old. It may be past its life span. You probably paid $1,300 for it 10 years ago, so roughly it only cost you $130 a year to own. Not bad. Time to get a new one.” Immediately after I hit send, I felt bad for my less than empathetic response and quickly called him to brainstorm options. His main heartbreak was the amount of money he initially invested in the camera all those years ago. When he realized it only cost him about $130 a year for the camera, he felt better. So that brought up a good point: How much would it cost to replace that exact camera today with a used one? What is the cost to replace it vs. fixing it? A quick internet search and we found a few ranging between $75 and $295 — a far cry from the $1,300 he first spent. Yes, the technology is much older but hey, back then everyone raved about how great the quality was and the many features. Besides, he still loves the results he gets. If he chose this option, I would recommend paying a higher price from the two reputable companies we found, B&H Photos and mpb.com. These companies, along with Adorama and ProCam, have a used-equipment department. They won’t risk misleading or selling bad gear. A downside is he hasn’t gained anything new — he’s still using 10-year-old technology. Oh, did you notice, we didn’t bother asking how much it would cost to fix the camera? At these prices, we predicted shipping and the cost of the parts wouldn’t be cost-effective. Now if you have a higher-end camera and the replacement cost is too high, shop around for a good company. I’ve used Peachtree Camera repairs out of Atlanta. I know Tim McEver very well and he’s a stand-up guy. Buy new or used? This is a tough one. When purchasing a large ticket item, my father taught me to measure my desire by what’s in my wallet. If I can comfortably afford it and if it’s something I really need — not just want — then buy it. In this case, if I really need a new camera but I can’t justify the expense, then consider buying a used camera. Keep in mind that buying a used camera comes with risk. To minimize risk, I would think twice before buying it off eBay or Craigslist unless you know a lot about cameras and can spot a problem. Personally, I wouldn’t have a clue, but I do have lots of friends that do. I would ask for advice. Here is a comparison between a New and Used NikonD850 camera body from B&H Photo Do you have a backup camera? If you are a professional photographer whose sole income is photography, you need a backup camera. You could buy a less expensive used camera and then get your camera fixed. Another option is to get your camera fixed, but upgrade to a newer camera. Either way, you need a second camera. So before you decide to throw your trusty camera away, check out the repair cost. If the repair cost is a little too expensive, put that money toward a new or used camera, then take on a few extra photography jobs to help pay for the repair of your old camera.
Portrait Tips: Don’t put the cart before the horse - It’s an old saying that means doing things in the wrong order. I could also say, don’t run before you can walk…but I had this picture handy. I want to apply the idea to the tools you need to make portraits. A friend asked on Facebook the other day about the most important factor when buying lighting equipment. It’s a complex question, but I think the first part of the answer is easy. Learn it before you buy it The are many brands and types of lighting tools out there. I’ve used several, and I’ve owned a few too many. You can save yourself a lot of money and trouble by only buying what you will really use. The best way to know what you will utilize the best is to learn to use the tools before you buy them. Then you know you’re getting exactly what you need, and augmenting those tools with accessories as you grow and change your style will be cost-effective. One of the worst feelings is buying a tool and never using it. It’s depressing to have a thing that you know other people use to make terrific pictures but your own results are less than great. Let’s not talk about my ring-light misadventures. Use up what you’ve got Furthermore, before you buy anything new, you should wear out the tools you already have. The best lighting tool in the universe is the Sun and most photographers haven’t exhausted its possibilities. you can make a very good living using nothing but sunlight. Direct, indirect, reflected, magnified or diffused — the sun does it all, and often on the same day. You can go a long way without buying any lighting tools at all. Although a 5-in-1 reflector is always good to have close by. Buy books, attend workshops If you looked at my equipment buying history, I would be the biggest hypocrite. I bought a camera ten years ago, and then I bought a reflector and a speedlight within three days. However, before I even owned my first digital camera I had discovered the kinds of portraits I wanted to make and studied as much as I could about it. I read all of Joe McNally’s books and attended workshops with David Ziser and Sandy Puc. I admit it was funny to be the only one in the audience who didn’t even own a camera. I learned as much as I could about the tools I was planning to use before I owned them. When I bought my first speedlight that weekend, I already knew how to set it up for off-camera work and how to make it work well for portraits. In fact, I never once attached that flash to the top of my camera. There was literally nothing more I could learn without the flash in my hand. A useless cart I have stuff in my closet right now that I don’t use and I should never have purchased. It was flashy, and the ambassador for it made it look so cool. And it works great for his style and his work. But I should have learned to use it first to see if it really fits the way I like to work. Buying things before you know how to use them is like buying a cart for a horse before you even own the horse. Or maybe before you even own a place to keep a horse. I’m all for buying the tools you need to do your work and I’m glad there are so many innovative companies out there making wonderful tools. Just get yourself a horse-full of knowledge before you buy a tool you won’t use. Portrait Tips come out each week, and you can see them all right here.
Upping my food lighting game with MagBox - The past several months have been pretty busy for me, but not with the kind of work I’m used to. While I certainly continue to photograph my share of corporate events, I’ve been photographing more food and drink than ever before. I’ve worked with local magazines, as well as some restaurants, to capture some marketing shots showcasing several menu items. Up until recently, I’ve been using a two-umbrella setup with two Godox AD200 strobes. And it worked great. But what bothered me was the amount of light falloff that my images often had, which oftentimes made for something that looked a little flat. Enter the MagBox system, a 24-inch octagonal softbox created by MagMod. I was first introduced to the MagBox last October as a part of the PhotoPlus Expo. As someone who focuses on corporate photography, the benefits of using it for something like a wedding didn’t really appeal to me. But I knew that having a softbox be a part of my lighting kit would mean I could better control my light setup. I reached out to MagMod to ask some questions, and they graciously sent me a MagBox Starter Kit for review. I’ve been using it for a few months now, and I have to say that it’s completely changed the way I think about lighting my food — for the better. My concern As I mentioned above, my main concern here was that having shoot-through white umbrellas meant I couldn’t control the falloff of my lighting, meaning that some areas would get lit that I didn’t intend. While this was fairly simple to fix in post-processing, it was an annoyance that I couldn’t just make my main subject “pop” as I had hoped. Had you asked anyone about my food photos, you probably wouldn’t get any complaints. The food looked natural and appetizing. I just knew that I could make the photographs a little better. Setup Despite not coming with a true carrying bag, I found the bag the Starter Kit came in to be suitable for my needs. Taking the MagBox out of the back and clicking it open was a breeze. So was mounting it to the MagRing and my light stand, which held a MagShoe. I did find the first few times of putting the fabric diffuser on to be somewhat challenging, but after one or two times doing it, it was very quick and easy to attach. Unlike traditional softboxes where you rely on velcro, MagBox relies on the magnets that MagMod has become so known for. Attaching my Godox AD200 lights was a very quick process, and they were immediately secured upon closing the MagRing door. What’s a MagShoe? For me, there was more to using the MagBox than just the softbox portion of the kit. I was equally as excited about the MagShoe, a flexible cold shoe that gave me the ability to make fine-tune adjustments on-the-fly. Gone were the cheap plastic umbrella mounts that we all know and, well, hate. The MagShoe allowed me to have better control over my umbrella setup whether I used the MagBox or not. Integrating the MagBox There were two setups I wanted to try with the MagBox. First, the MagBox on its own pointed directly at the plate of food I was photographing. I knew this would give off more of a direct, moody lighting effect, and in some instances, look almost low-key. But for certain situations where I just needed a small pop of light, it did so to perfection. You can see that the shadows are much stronger in these photographs. Which, depending on the look you’re going for, isn’t necessarily a bad thing! I also wanted to try integrating the MagBox into an umbrella setup. More specifically, I wanted to continue to light the subject with the MagBox, but also fill in the shadows with a single shoot-through umbrella that was placed off to the side. For me, this is when MagBox truly shined and created some food photographs that I feel are some of my best yet. Plus, using the MagShoe with both the MagBox and my umbrella, meant that I could easily change the angle of my light source without having to unscrew and forcefully click an umbrella mount down or up. Instead, I could adjust everything with just a single hand, which worked really well. As someone being new to softboxes, I quickly learned that pointing it directly at the subject wasn’t always the best idea — especially when it came to things like portraits. Instead, I sometimes found myself feathering the light by changing the angle to be just slightly above or below the subject. This still provided the light I needed, but without overpowering the subject. It also really helped in reducing reflections on the food or plates. All in all, the MagBox has given me better options to control my light source than I had previously. I’m excited to integrate this into my photography kit and am already thinking about purchasing their FocusDiffuser, which helps to limit the light output even more.
My top five 5DayDeal education tools - If you haven’t already heard, 5DayDeal is running an amazing promotion, full of education videos, tutorials, presets and even a copy of Aurora HDR 2019 — all for just $89! While this deal won’t last — it ends Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019 — there are some amazing classes to boost your photography skill set and help you hit the ground running. Here are my five favorite five 5DayDeal education tools: Photoshop for Lightroom Users, with Piet Van den Eynde Let’s be honest — as photographers, we rely a lot on Lightroom and Lightroom Classic. But sometimes we need to take our photos into Photoshop for some advanced edits. Whether it be a portrait, landscape, nature or food photograph, there are several tools that I didn’t know how to use — let alone that they existed. In this course, Piet walks us through 20 Photoshop techniques, including Content-Aware Scale, perspective cloning, Frequency Separation, simulating a shallow depth of field, color grading and more. Included are several practice files so you can follow along with Piet as he shows you how to use Photoshop like a pro. Personally, I really learned a lot in this course. There were several tools that I knew existed but I was unsure on how to use them, or worse, I was using them incorrectly. This is definitely a course I’ll come back to again and again. Lightroom and Composition eBook Bundle, by Andrew S. Gibson While I’m not through all of Andrew’s eBooks, this is a great collection to get you started not only with Lightroom, but photography in general. Included are seven eBooks available in PDF, ePUB or Kindle format: “10 Black & White Photography Assignments” “Beyond Thirds: A Photographer’s Introduction to Creative Composition” “Lightroom Secrets” “Mastering Lightroom Classic: Book One” “Mastering Composition: Book Two” “The Evocative Image” “The Natural Portrait” As photographers we can often struggle with inspiration. It’s why I’m so excited for this book package. I’ve read through “10 Black & White Photography Assignments,” and can’t wait to put them to use on some upcoming trips. Andrew’s fourth assignment in this book — photographing the elements of composition — is really something that I had never thought of before from a higher level. It walks you through photographing textures and shapes, numbers and repetition. Even for the seasoned photographer, there are some pretty good nuggets in here. As a corporate photographer, I found the last assignment — create a photo story — to remind me of the best ways to capturing the process of something. I’ve been photographing and filming a lot of brand stories as of late, and this is really good practice. Photo All Star, with Mark Condon In this series of videos, Mark walks through eight topics when it comes to photography. This is the perfect set for a beginner photographer, or even for more advanced photographers who want some technicalities behind why things like shutter speed, aperture and ISO work the way they do. When I first started getting into photography, I was loaned a DVD by a colleague to help me learn the basics. It really, really helped. While the name escapes me, Mark’s videos are very similar, and dive in even more than that first DVD I watched. If you’re looking to learn things like manual mode, but are struggling with how the different dials and options work on your camera, this is a great course. Or if you’re looking to brush up on some technical skills, definitely tune in. Mastering Dodging & Burning, with Nick Page A few weeks ago, I had an all-day food photoshoot with a local magazine. We scoured various restaurants in my area, and setup flat lay shots at each location. And just a few days ago, I finished up those edits. A few photos required a Photoshop technique that I knew the basics of, but really was anything but an expert at. Specifically, we had some food on a dark gray plate, that had some fade to it. The client had asked for the fade to be leveled out, so the plate was a true dark gray. While I initially tried using the Burn tool in Photoshop, I didn’t get great results — until I watched some of Nick’s course. This helped me get a realistic looking plate in my photograph. But Nick takes it one step further, talking about using contrast, smart objects, luminosity masks and more when dodging and burning. He also gives some specific use case examples so you can see what dodging and burning does to particular photos, and when the tools are most helpful. This is definitely one you will want to check out if you ever come across a situation that requires this delicate technique. Get Camera Confident, with Laura Bath Photography can be intimidating! Perfect for beginners, this course by Laura Bath gives you the confidence to not only learn your camera, but how to apply what you’ve learned to specific shooting situations. In addition to video instruction, you get some homework to make sure you’ve understood what you learn. The course walks through the basics of setting up your camera to understanding the exposure triangle and using the right lenses. There’s more! In addition to all you’ll get from 5DayDeal, Photofocus is offering an exclusive class to anyone who purchases through our website. In “Ten Portraits with One Light,” Photofocus author Levi Sim explains portrait lighting and different tools and methods you can use to create an award-winning portrait. I first met Levi when I won a camera through Photofocus (before I was a team member) back in 2012. And when I got my MagMod MagBox a few months ago, this very course was the first I watched. Levi has a great dynamic way of teaching — you’re sure to walk away with tips you can immediately apply to your photography! If you purchase 5DayDeal, you’ll receive this bonus on Nov. 9, 2019. To learn more, visit the 5DayDeal website.
